The Top 1% Workplace Awards 2026
Celebrating the organisations setting the standard for workplace excellence across financial technology.
Established in 2016 | 150+ Award Submissions Last Year | Free to Enter | Independent Industry Judges
Nominations Closed
Recognising Excellence Across FinTech
Award Categories
With 16 categories available, you can choose the one that best reflects your company’s strengths, or nominate across multiple areas.
The Top 1% Workplace Awards 2026
Nominations Now Closed!
Recognising the organisations setting the standard for workplace excellence across Financial Technology and Financial Services.
The companies that attract, develop and retain exceptional talent are the companies that thrive.
The Top 1% Workplace Awards celebrate the organisations leading the way in workplace culture, leadership, innovation, inclusion, employee experience and talent development.
As technology continues to transform the industry, the organisations that combine great people, strong leadership and innovation are setting themselves apart. This year's awards recognise those businesses and the environments they have created for their employees to succeed.
Open to organisations across the globe, the awards celebrate workplace excellence wherever it exists, recognising the companies helping shape the future of Financial Technology and Financial Services.
Now entering their tenth year, the awards have become a platform for organisations to showcase their culture, celebrate their people and gain recognition for the work they are doing to create exceptional workplaces.
Nominations are free and open to FinTech and Financial Services organisations of all sizes.
An Independent Panel of Industry Leaders
Our judging panel brings together some of the most respected voices across FinTech and Financial Services.
With expertise spanning leadership, workplace culture, innovation, technology, talent and inclusion, every judge brings valuable insight into what exceptional organisations look like in practice.
Every nomination is reviewed independently against clear criteria, ensuring a fair, transparent and rigorous assessment process.
These are the industry leaders helping define what workplace excellence means in 2026.
How the Process Works
A step-by-step guide of the process
Step 1: Nominate, or Be Nominated
Submit a nomination for your own organisation or a company you believe deserves recognition.
The nomination process is quick, free and open to FinTech, Financial Technology and Financial Services organisations of all sizes.
No lengthy written submission is required at this stage.
Step 2: Share Your Story
Once you've submitted your nomination, we'll invite you to take part in a short video conversation.
It's just 15 minutes, and we'll send guidance in advance so you have time to prepare.
You'll be asked one question:
Why should your organisation win this award?
We'll also provide guidance on the areas our judges will be considering for your chosen category. This may include workplace culture, leadership, employee experience, career development, innovation, wellbeing, inclusion, onboarding, and investment in talent.
Video interviews open: 22nd June 2026
Deadline to submit: 9th September 2026
No high production needed, just your authentic voice and story.
Step 3: Independent Judging Panel Review
Our panel of industry experts carefully reviews submissions across every award category.
Judges assess organisations against clear criteria including culture, leadership, innovation, inclusion, employee experience and talent development.
Finalists, highly commended organisations and winners are selected following this independent review process.
Step 4: Winners Announced in Our Flagship Magazine
We’ll contact all entrants before the public announcement.
Winners will be revealed in the upcoming issue of The Financial Technologist: Top 1% Workplace Awards 2025.
Winners Receive:
Personalised promotional assets to share your achievement
Dedicated exposure across our platform and social channels, with over 350,000 industry followers
A featured profile in The Financial Technologist Magazine, read by over 350,000 FinTech professionals
A spotlight in our upcoming awards content campaign
Application Deadline: 9th September
Winner announcement date: 19th October
Previous Winners & Finalists
The Top 1% Workplace Award 2025 Finalists
The Team Excellence Award
Finalists: BMLL, Quantifi, Traderoot International, Millennium Advisors, LLC, Upvest, TransFICC, Sterling Trading Tech, SteelEye, Rapid Addition.
The Best Workplace for Talent Investment Award
Finalists: Corlytics, Football Radar, CoBa, Caplin Systems, Checkout.com, Andor Holding Group.
The Best Employee Onboarding Experience Award
Finalists: Feedzai, FlexTrade, iPushpull, Ozone API
The Best Workplace Culture Award
Finalists: Caplin Systems, Bitpace, Alpaca, Ozone API, Flagstone, Transaction Network Services (TNS), BCB Group, Delta Financial Systems, Ecommpay, Swift, payabl., Muinmos, GSS - Global Screening Services, Sterling Trading Tech, Banqora, Andor Cards Ltd, Primer, Atom bank
The Best Sales Professionals Award
Finalists: Deutsche Börse, SteelEye, Transaction Network Services (TNS), Edenred, Aquis Exchange
The Top 1% Leader of the Year Award
Finalists: Tim Renew, Deputy CEO at BCB Group, Ruth Fletcher, COO/CFO at GSS - Global Screening Services, Amanda Mocellin, COO at Traderoot International, Shriyanka Hore, Managing Director at Swift
The Best Workplace for Product Innovation Award
Finalists: AutoRek, Unbiased, iCapital, Taskize, Aquis Exchange, Upvest, ipushpull, payabl.
The Best DE&I Initiative Award
Finalists: Ecommpay, Stable
The Best Workplace for Technologists Award
Finalists: Flagstone, LMAX Group, InTick, Taskize, Eventus, Quantifi, BMLL, Embat, Muinmos, Millennium Advisors, FlexTrade, TransFICC
The Best Emerging FinTech Award
Finalists: SIGMA AI, Imandra, FinCrime Dynamics, Alpaca, North One, Embat, Stable, SilverTide, Corlytics, Tokenovate
The Best Workplace for Data and AI Professionals Award
Finalists: Aiviq, Feedzai, Banqora, Atom bank, AutoRek, Eventus, Sporting Solutions, Synechron, Imandra, SIGMA AI
The Best Workplace for Digital Assets
Finalists: Tokenovate, Archax, LMAX Digital
The DE&I Champion of the Year Award
Finalists: Sophie Creese, CEO & Co-Founder, HeyFlow & Founder, MotherBoard. Becky Stark, Head of Talent Acquisition, Partners Capital. Kevin Flood, Head of European Growth Office, FIS. Ama Ocansey, CDIR, UK Head of Diversity & Inclusions, BNP Paribas.
The Best Cyber Team Award
Finalists: Berenberg, Baringa
The Best Internal Talent Team Award
Finalists: Sporting Solutions, Football Radar, Amelco Limited
The Best Workplace for Sports Trading Award
Finalists revealed on 15th October 2025.
Winners Announced
The Financial Technologist Magazine will be released on 20th October 2025.
This Year's Awards Categories
The Top 1% Workplace Awards have been held annually since 2016, with new categories added each year to cover various aspects of workplace excellence. The rising number of applicants reflects the growing recognition and importance of these awards in the financial technology sector.
FAQs
Have Questions? We’ve Got Answers.
Can I nominate my own company?
Absolutely. Many nominations come directly from organisations proud of their culture, achievements and people. We welcome self-nominations from individuals, teams and leadership groups.
Who can enter?
The awards are open to organisations of all sizes across Financial Technology, Financial Services and the Capital Markets ecosystem.
Whether you're a FinTech, bank, trading firm, payments provider, digital asset business, market infrastructure provider or technology vendor, nominations are welcomed from companies across all global regions and markets.
Is there a cost to enter?
No. Entry to the Top 1% Workplace Awards is completely free.
What happens after I submit a nomination?
Once your nomination has been received, our team will contact you with the next steps, including details about the video interview stage.
Who can submit a nomination?
Anyone with insight into an organisation's workplace culture and achievements can submit a nomination, including employees, leaders, colleagues, clients and partners.
Can I nominate more than one company?
Yes. Multiple nominations are welcome where organisations demonstrate excellence across workplace culture and employee experience.
How are winners selected?
All nominations are reviewed by an independent judging panel against clearly defined criteria. Finalists, highly commended organisations and winners are selected following this assessment process.
Is the Top 1% Workplace Awards open to organisations outside the UK and US?
Yes. The Top 1% Workplace Awards welcomes nominations from organisations across the globe.
As workplace excellence is not limited by geography, we celebrate outstanding companies from across FinTech, Financial Services and Capital Markets, regardless of location.
Winners, finalists and highly commended organisations are featured in The Financial Technologist, a global publication reaching industry leaders across multiple international markets.
When are the winners announced?
Winners will be announced in The Financial Technologist Magazine: The Top 1% Workplace Awards 2026 edition and promoted across Harrington Starr's media platforms.
What is The Financial Technologist magazine?
The Financial Technologist is Harrington Starr's flagship industry publication, featuring insights from leading voices across FinTech, Financial Technology and Financial Services. It serves as the official publication for the Top 1% Workplace Awards and showcases the organisations helping shape the future of the industry.
Harrington Starr's magazine, The Financial Technologist, offers insights on industry trends, thought leadership, and best practices. We support professional development and foster a sense of community within the fintech sector. Through sharing knowledge and promoting discussion, we help drive the industry's growth and innovation. Our goal is to inform, inspire, and connect professionals, driving success in the financial technology field.